X c cooking range x



B. VALJEAN COOKING RANGE Jan. l2, 1937.

Filed Jan. 2l, 1932y l Patented Jan. 12, 1937 PATENT oFFlcE COOKING RANGE Ben Valjean, Lansing, Mich., assignor to Motor Wheel Corporation, Lansing, Mich., a corporation of Michigan The present invention has for its object the efilcient utilization of the thermal units of the fuel consumed in combustion chambers of other than symmetrical form, as typied in cooking ranges where the heat is desired to be applied primarily to the top plates of the stove in its passage directly to the ue or indirectly beneath and around the oven for heating the latter.

In stoves of the range type diiculty is encountered inV heating the top plates withany degree of uniformity, that portion above the re box being subjected to much greater heat which diminishes markedly-towards the rear; which diculty is overcome by the present invention wherein the combustion is progressive and prolonged as the burning vapors travel towards the rear, distributing the iiames throughout an area including the whole of the passageway over the oven and beneath the top plates. This placement of the combustion over a desired area is attained by the same principle set out in my companion application, Serial No. 587,856 in connection with heaters generally, and particularly those employing a fairly symmetrical combustion chamber usually of the vertical cylindrical type.

While the invention is applicable to heaters using solid fuel such as coal and coke, it is particularly adapted to fluid fuels such as oil or gas, and it is hereinafter set forth in connection with the burning of a liquid fuel such as oil for example.

For a complete understanding of the principle of operation of the heater herein shown reference is made to my Patents Nos. 1,280,596 of October 1, 1918, and 1,639,202, of April 16, 1927; however, as therein set forth the secondary air vsupply was through an air gap at the neck of the carburetor prior to discharge in the combustion chamber and in a direction transverse to the passage of a premixture of hydrocarbon and air therethrough so that combustion was eiected at `the entrance to the combustion chamber, whereas in the present form of construction and method of operation the premixture is introduced as such into the combustion chamber and there burned upon admixture with a secondary air supply at selected points and throughout a predetermined area.

While at the stage of low re, either when the increases with the addition cf fuel and the increase of heat, the carburetor becomes substantially completely lled with a non-explosive premixture of hydrocarbon vapors and air. This premixture flows into the combustion chamber 5 where complete and progressive combustion ensuesas the carbureted mixture or composite vapors are drawn into the secondary air streams, the vapors burning in`an atmosphere' of air rather than air burning. in an atmosphere of 10 vapor. Y

In order that the invention may be readily understood in terms of apparatus adapted for the practice of the same, a typical cooking range embodying the invention is set forth in the ac- 15 companying drawing to serve as a basis for the following description and claims.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a range on the line I-I of Fig. 2, and Fig. 2 is a horizontal section and 20 top plan view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

l. In the drawing is shown a cooking range comprising end walls II, the base I2, side walls I3 and removableltop plates I4, I5, and I6. The oven Il is contained within the walls of the range 25 proper and spaced therefrom above to provide an upper horizontal space I 8, a vertical space I9 and a lower horizontal space 20. The space I8 communicates directly with the flue by means of an opening 2I controlled by the damper 22 slid- 30 ably adjustable by means of the handle 23, whereby the products of combustion may escape directly in any desired proportion to the ue 24 according as the damper 22 is opened to a greater or less extent. The space I8 also com- 35 municates by the vertical space I9 and the lower horizontal space 20 with the ilue through the opening 25, whereby a greater or less proportion of the heat may be caused to traverse an indirect path to the flue around the oven I1. 'I'his far de- 40 scribed, the range is of typical construction adapted for primarily heating the top plates of the range for cooking thereon or causing a portion of the heat to pass around and beneath the oven for baking purposes.

That portion of the range structure ordinarily occupied by the fire box at the front is here divided by a partition 26, the space above the partition forming a vertical leg 21 of what is herein termed the combustion chamber consisting of the Vertical space 21 and the horizontal space I8, the combustion chamber being in vertical longitudinal section substantially -shaped.

The partition 26 is provided with a central opening 28 through which communication is 55 premixture entering the space 21 are seized uponv established with the combustion chamber from a carburetor or premixing device 29, suspended from the partition 26 by means of the. bolts 30, of bowl shape with apertures 3| of substantially uniform size and spacing formed in a wall thereof for the admission thereto of primary air. An oil line 32 supplies fuel to the bottom of the carburetor as indicated at 33. The quantity of fuel -supplied to the carburetor through the line 32 is that narrow spaces are left between their meeting edges whereby secondary air may enter as indicated at 39, 40, III, and 42 in thin sheets extending transversely of the range top above the combustion chamber. This may be effected by providing the top plates I5 and` I6 with offset flanges I5a and I6a and the end walls II with offset flanges IIa. y

Generally speaking, the operation is as follows: oil delivered to the bottom of the carburetor is there ignited forming hydrocarbon vapors into which jets of primary air through the apertures 3l are discharged to support preliminary combustion within the carburetor. The generation of vapors is increased by the heat deflected downwardly by the overhanging top wall of the burner and eventually from the top plate I4 of the range. As generation of hydrocarbon vapors increases with the addition of fuel and increasing heat, the extent to which combustion takes place within the burner diminishes, the jets of primary air added to the hydrocarbon vapors, bringing about the formation of a premixture of hydro-carbon vapors and air within the carburetor.

A premixture of hydrocarbon vapors and air thus formed passes upward into the space 21 of the combustion chamber, the passage from the carburetor being constricted and interfering' down currents being prevented by such constriction and by the baie 34. The composite vapors of the by the streams of secondary air entering at 35, 36 to be drawn laterally and by the streams of secondary air enteringl the space at 31-38 and mixes therewith for perfecting combustion throughout the space 21 rather than at the entrance of the composite vapors from the carf buretor.

Typically, complete combustion begins above the partition 26 where the composite vapors of the premixture nearest are drawn ,into the streams of secondary air from the openings `35, 36, 31, 38, producing flames lling the side ends and top of the space 21 and thence traveling in a horizontal direction through the space 21 and the unconsumed composite vapors from the carburetor travel'horizontally through the space I8, secondary air streams entering at IIa, I5a, and I6a seize upon and mingle with these vapors, progressively producing complete combustion; whereby combustion is uniformly distributed in the space I 8 beneath the top plates I4, I 5, and I6. If it be desired primarily to heat the top plate lId to the virtual exclusion of the remainder of the range, the slide damper 22 may be opened and the products of combustion permitted to escape directly to the ue. If, however, it is desired to heat the top of the rangemore uniformly, the slide damper 22 will be so adjusted that but little of the products of combustion escape directly to the iiue through the opening 2| and the remainder will be caused to travel throughout the space I8, the space I9 and the space 2U to the opening 25, heating the oven in a moderate degree. If it be desired to heat the oven for baking purposes, the slide damper 22 will be adjusted to close the opening 2| and all of the 'products of combustion forced to travel in a circuitous path around and beneath the oven.

The foregoing is but an example of a typical heating apparatus having a non-cylindrical combustion chamber, illustrating the introduction thereto of secondary air in relation to the entrance from the carburetor of the composite vapors formed therein and the portion of the device to be heated. The relative arrangement will be modified to suit the conditions present and the results to be attained, depending upon the desired placement of the area of combustion vand the course of travel which it may be desired to have the iiames pursue. These conditions-would vary with the extent of the combustion chamber, its lateral dimensions, its shape, the direct and indirect paths to be traveled by the products of combustion, etc. In all circumstances the same principle is involved, the complete combustion of the vapors from the fuel being eiected in the desired area according as the streams of secondary air are related to the composite vapors entering from the carburetor and traveling through the combustion chamber.

I claim:

1. Combustion apparatus of `the range type comprising a combustion chamber having an upper horizontal wall formed of a plurality of heating plates spaced apart to provide a plurality of elongated air inlet slots extending transversely of the longitudinal axis of the apparatus.

2. Combustion apparatus of the range type including a top wall comprising removable heating plates, supporting ledges for said plates. and slots yextending transversely of the vlongitudinal axis of the apparatus, said slots being located at the joints of the removable plates and their supporting ledges.

BEN VALJEAN. 

